Ajwain Seed

This was easily one of the most bizarre experiences I've ever had with tasting a spice.  Ajwain, also known as carom seed, Bishop's weed and trachyspermum ammi is a member of the same family of plants as cumin, celery, parsley and dill.  The taste is said to be a bit like cumin and thyme, with elements of oregano, anise and a bit of its own unique tang but...  Well...  Read on.

Ajwain is always sold as whole seeds, apparently.  This is because in its native lands of India and north Africa, it is always used as such in recipes.  The seeds look a lot like cumin or caraway seeds but they have a stringy little tail on them.  Do not fear the tail.  This is normal.  It is not turning into a sperm.

When I buy a new spice, the first thing I like to do is taste it on its own.  I like to know what I'm putting into my food, how strong it is, etc.  The first thing I noticed about ajwain is the distinct, unusual taste.  It was familiar but unfamiliar at the same time.  The next thing I noticed was that my tongue and the roof of my mouth went numb.  Not weird enough for you?  For the next 15 minutes, all I could taste was metal.  Apparently this is a normal side effect of eating way too much.

We can't stop here.  This is ajwain country.

Fortunately, this is not something that happens when it is used properly in an actual recipe instead of just chewing on a dime sized palm full of the raw seeds.  Its most popular use is in north African peanut soup, but since that's not a vegetarian recipe (and it calls for the similarly uncommon grains of paradise) I decided this easy lentil dish would be more appropriate.  I seriously recommend cutting the paprika in half or to a third, though, and maybe use veggie stock instead of water.

Ajwain seed is an extremely unusual find in the United States so don't be too surprised if you never encounter it.  The taste is pretty good (when it isn't unleashing Lovecraftian madness on your palate) but you may be hard pressed to find a recipe that actually calls for it.  This is definitely the most far out adventure I've had with a spice.  ...so far.